Women’s PPE: Proper Fit, Safety Risks & Real Solutions for the Workplace
Women’s PPE (personal protective equipment) is essential for ensuring proper fit, comfort, and protection in the workplace. However, many women across industries like construction, manufacturing, mining, and utilities are still issued PPE that does not account for differences in body shape and sizing. Proper fit directly impacts safety, comfort, and overall job performance, making it a critical consideration for organizations committed to protecting every worker.
PPE is an essential layer of protection for workers in every industry as it helps them perform their tasks safely and successfully. However, not all PPE is designed to meet the needs of every worker.
A 2022 report by CSA Group surveyed 3,000 Canadian women working in sectors where PPE is required. The findings show that the PPE women are usually provided often doesn't fit properly, is uncomfortable to wear and fails to provide the protection it's supposed to.
The Safety Risk of Ill-Fitting PPE
The primary purpose of PPE is to prevent and protect workers from potential injury. The reality is that ill-fitting PPE is a safety hazard. For this reason, it is paramount that the PPE fits each worker properly, and the workers feel that they can trust it to protect them.
However, that’s not the case. Women often pay out of pocket to source PPE designed specifically for women. The report indicates that they also alter their existing PPE for safety, comfort and improved fit. They use workarounds like rubber bands, safety pins and duct tape to secure work gloves, shrink sleeves and shorten their pant legs to prevent them from tripping.
The CSA report also highlights female-specific life stages, including Menopause.
Menopause is a natural life stage that occurs as hormone levels change over time. For some women, it can come with sudden waves of heat and other day-to-day changes—especially hot flashes.
A hot flash is a quick “heat surge.” Someone might suddenly feel very warm (often starting in the chest, neck, or face), flush or turn red, and begin sweating as the body tries to cool down fast. The heart can feel like it’s beating harder or faster, and afterward they may feel chilled as the sweat dries and body temperature settles. Hot flashes can last seconds to a few minutes, and they can be distracting, uncomfortable, and sometimes exhausting.
Now add a job site, physical work, and PPE. When women are working in hot environments, heat stress risk is already higher, and if someone is also dealing with =hot flashes, that can add an extra layer of “heat load” during a shift. Comfort and cooling aren’t just preferences in these moments. They support focus, confidence, and safe decision-making. In these instances, cooling PPE such as vests, bandanas, and towels can play a vital role in managing heat stress on the job.Moving Beyond ‘Shrink It and Pink It’
Until recently, limited female-specific PPE alternatives have been available. The standard solution for women was to downsize existing men’s PPE, also known as “shrink it and pink it.” However, the issue with the “one size smaller” mentality is that it simply doesn’t work. There are significant sizing differences between men’s and women’s bodies, and the issue is the impact on the fit, function, safety and overall effectiveness of the garment.
Why Women-Specific PPE Matters for Employers
The good news is that awareness of this issue is improving, and manufacturers are increasingly developing PPE designed for women. Providing workwear and PPE that fits women properly isn’t an optional extra—it’s a matter of safety, and the benefits far outweigh the cost for the workers and the organization.
The correct fit makes women look and feel more professional, boosts morale, and improves productivity. More importantly, it ensures that women are suitably protected against workplace hazards. The ‘one-size-fits-all’ mentality is no longer suitable for industries experiencing a growing number of female workers, such as manufacturing, mining and construction.
As more women enter these industries, they should be adequately fitted and not just ‘fit in’ to their PPE. Women-specific PPE is a step towards honouring and supporting women in the safety industry because it helps them feel protected and cared for in the workplace.
For employers, providing properly fitted PPE is more than a compliance requirement, it directly impacts productivity, retention, and injury prevention. Ill-fitting PPE can lead to increased incident risk, reduced morale, and unnecessary replacement costs.
Real Women, Real Solutions from Levitt-Safety
Levitt-Safety is a long advocate for keeping all Canadians safe at work. We believe everyone, including women, should have access to functional, comfortable and appropriate workwear and PPE, which is why we’re at the forefront of this movement.
To help bring awareness to this issue, Levitt-Safety is on a mission to meet this growing demand by partnering with leading manufacturers who offer PPE developed especially for women. From base layers, high visibility, and flame-resistant clothing to rainwear, boots, gloves, harnesses, maternity, and outerwear—Levitt-Safety has everything you need to keep the women on your team safe.
Explore our full range of women’s PPE.
FAQ: Women’s PPE
Q: Why is standard PPE not suitable for many women?
A: Most traditional PPE is designed using male body proportions, which can result in poor fit, reduced protection, and discomfort for women workers. And ultimately, a less safe work environment.
Q: Is women-specific PPE required by regulation?
A: Ontario has specific legislation that addresses properly fitting PPE specific to women in all industries. BC has issued a guideline to ensure a proper fit of PPE for all workers regardless of gender. In other provinces, proper fitting PPE will fall into the general duty clause to keep employees safe.
A: Construction, utilities, manufacturing, mining, oil & gas, and transportation sectors often see the greatest benefit due to physical work demands and environmental exposure.
Are you ready to invest in your team’s safety?
Would you like some help assessing the PPE needs of your business? Are you looking to invest in Women’s PPE but don’t know where to start? Levitt-Safety has been advising and supplying companies with safety clothing for over 85 years.
Let us help you develop a PPE program to keep your team safe.